How to practice Round Midnight with play-along tracks?

Use the play-along backing track above to practice Round Midnight in the key of D#. Listen to the audio with bass, piano, and drums, start by playing the melody, then practice improvisation and soloing over the chord changes.

What scales to use for soloing over Round Midnight?

For soloing over Round Midnight, recommended scales include: bebop minor, bebop. Use arpeggio patterns over each chord to create melodic lines that follow the harmony of this jazz tune.

Who composed Round Midnight?

Round Midnight was composed by Thelonius Monk / Bernie Hanighen in 1943. It is a swing standard in 4/4 time. The original key is Eb; this page shows it transposed to D#.

What key is Round Midnight in?

The original key of Round Midnight is Eb. The form is AB with 26 bars. This page shows the chart transposed to D#.

What scales work for improvising over Round Midnight?

Recommended scales for Round Midnight in D#: bebop minor, bebop. Scales and arpeggios update in real-time as each chord plays, with context-aware analysis (e.g., Phrygian Dominant over secondary dominants).

How does the interactive backing track work?

The backing track plays with realistic walking bass, drum patterns, and voice-led chord voicings. Scales and arpeggios update in real-time as each chord plays. You can limit the fretboard zone for close-proximity voicings, toggle a reference melody, loop any section, and choose between multiple sound presets. Works for guitar, piano, bass, ukulele, and 7 more instruments.

Can I edit the chord chart?

Yes. You can modify the structure, chords, and arrangement of any standard to match your preferred version or create your own reharmonization.

Round Midnight in D#

Thelonius Monk / Bernie Hanighen(1943)swing

Do Re MiC D E

BPM: 120

Chord Diagrams — Round Midnight in D# (Guitar)

Display

FingerNoteDegree

Chord Voicings Closest Voicing

D♯m

D♯m/D

D♯m/C♯

Fm7/A♯

G♯m/F♯

Round Midnight in D#

Key of D#

D# major (Eb) requires barre shapes rooted on the 6th and 5th strings. It is a favorite key for horn players, so guitarists encounter it in funk and soul bands. Using barre chords at frets 1, 3, and 6 covers the primary shapes. D# is a intermediate-advanced-level key on guitar because no standard open strings match this key's chord tones. Expect to rely on barre chords throughout, which builds hand strength and unlocks the entire fretboard.

Voice Leading

The bass line moves through D# to D# (ascending unison), D# to D# (ascending unison), D# to C (descending minor third), C to G# (descending major third), G# to C# (ascending perfect fourth), C# to G# (descending perfect fourth), G# to B (ascending minor third), B to E (ascending perfect fourth), E to A# (ascending tritone), A# to D# (ascending perfect fourth), D# to F# (ascending minor third), F# to G (ascending half step), G to G# (ascending half step), G# to B (ascending minor third), B to A# (descending half step), A# to F (descending perfect fourth), F to F (ascending unison), F to F (ascending unison), F to D# (descending whole step), D# to F (ascending whole step), F to G# (ascending minor third), G# to A# (ascending whole step), A# to A# (ascending unison), A# to F# (descending major third), F# to B (ascending perfect fourth). A half-step bass movement creates a strong leading-tone pull that demands resolution. The root motion by larger intervals (fourths and fifths) gives each chord change a strong, decisive character. When the progression loops, the bass returns from B to D# by major third.

Scales for Improvisation

D# major pentatonic works because every note is either a chord tone or a safe passing tone — there are no avoid notes. For soloing, this means you can play freely without clashing. Over dominant seventh chords, D# Mixolydian adds the flat seventh for an authentic blues-rock edge.

swing4/4 · 26 bars · Form: AB

Chords: D♯m, D♯m/D, D♯m/C♯, Cm7♭5, G♯m, C♯7, G♯7, Bm7, E7, A♯m7, D♯7, F♯, G7♯9, G♯7♭5, B7♭5, A♯7, F7♯9, Fm7♭5, Fm7/A♯, D♯, F7♭5, G♯m/F♯, A♯7♯9, A♯m, F♯m, B7.

Scales for Improvisation D# bebop minor, D# bebop.

Diatonic chords: See all chords in the key of D#